Can Behavior Impact the Severity of Tics?

Tourette's Syndrome is a developmental neuropsychiatric disorder characterized by multiple, recurrent, usually brief, nonrhythmic motor movements and at least one vocalization (motor and phonic tics, respectively) that have onset before age 18, and persist for at least one year.

A study that examines Tourette's syndrome, shows us how a disease can affect people differently based on the area they are living in. In Freeman’s article, “An international perspective on Tourette syndrome: selected findings from 3,500 individuals in 22 countries,” Freeman looked into 3,500 individuals in 22 different countries and compared them to each other. The researchers found that the patients with comorbidities were far more likely to express anger control issues than those with none. In looking at patients suffering from comorbidities, the researchers found that the most common was attention deficit hyperactivity disorder to be correlated with Tourette's. Freeman explains “Because behavioral problems are associated with comorbidity, their presence should dictate a high index of suspicion of the latter, whose treatment may be at least as important as tic reduction” (Freeman 2000). Behavior is a major factor that plays into the severity of a patient's tics.

This study is explained as an entry point for larger samples to be studied, but its findings support that with the addition of anger issues and other comorbidities, the problem of tics are far more likely to occur and progress. It is important for future studies to continue to try to understand how mental health issues can play a part in a subjects Tourette’s getting worse. It is also important for future studies to examine the comorbidities in respect to many diseases.

Freeman RD1, Fast DK, Burd L, Kerbeshian J, Robertson MM, Sandor P. An international perspective on Tourette syndrome: selected findings from 3,500 individuals in 22 countries. Dev Med Child Neurol. 2000.